World Cup Fast Facts

CNN Library

Updated 8:01 PM ET, Sun July 5, 2015

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JULY 13: Germany celebrates with the World Cup trophy after defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final match between Germany and Argentina at Maracana on July 13, 2014, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

(CNN)Here's some background information about the World Cup football (soccer) tournament. The "world's most widely viewed sporting event," it takes place every four years to determine the world champion. The World Cup is held by FIFA, the Federation Internationale de Football Association.

Brazil hosted the World Cup from June 12 to July 13, 2014.

Games in the 2014 World Cup were played in twelve Brazilian cities: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Sao Paulo.

Other Facts:Thirty-two teams participate in the World Cup.

A phase called the "Preliminary Competition" takes place in the three years preceding each World Cup, where teams must compete in qualifying matches in order to be eligible for 31 slots. The host nation automatically qualifies to enter.

The teams are drawn into eight groups of four teams each at the beginning of the tournament. The top two teams in each group will advance to the second round group of 16 teams, which play in successive rounds to reach the finals.

There is also a third place game, where the two teams that lose in the semifinals play each other.

The Adidas Golden Ball award is presented to the most outstanding player at each World Cup finals, as decided by the FIFA Technical Study Group - 2014 Winner: Lionel Messi (Argentina).

The Adidas Golden Boot award is presented to the top goal scorer at every World Cup finals - 2014 Winner: James Rodriguez (Colombia).